Hydraulic bucket drill



HYDRAULIC BUCKET DRILL Filed May 22, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4/1474 [2545 3r: FWAW [KW/4r June 2, 1970 G. F. CASEY, SR 3,515,229

HYDRAULIC BUCKET DRILL Filed May 22, 1968 a Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,515,229 HYDRAULIC BUCKET DRILL George F. Casey, Sr., Montebello, Califi, assignor to George F. Casey Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 22, 1968, Ser. No. 731,082 Int. Cl. B23q 5/00 US. Cl. 173-151 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Summary of the invention This invention relates generally to earth drills and specifically to a modular drilling mechanism which can be mounted, with little or no modification, on a number of ground support structures.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is the provision of a drilling mechanism for earth drilling in which any one of several sizes of ring gear assemblies, and thereby several sizes of drilling buckets, can be interchangeably mounted to a single basic frame assembly whereby the user may change ring gear size in accordance with job requirements and thereby avoid purchasing several complete drilling rigs to handle different sized jobs.

Another object is to provide a drilling mechanism as above described which can be mounted on a variety of ground support structures such as a truck, tracks, or a turntable.

Another object is to provide a drilling mechanism as above described having a hydraulic hoist system which powers in and out of the hole without brakes, said hoist system including a pair of hydraulic hoists which, in case of pressure hose failure, brake automatically.

Another object is to provide a drilling mechanism as above described in which the ring gear assembly may be either mechanically or hydraulically driven which, in either event is quickly and easily assemblable to a basic frame assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description.

Brief description of the drawings The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying figures wherein FIG. 1 is a side open view with parts in section;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the ring gear unit.

Like reference numerals will be usedto refer to like or similar parts from figure to figure.

Description of the preferred embodiment The drilling mechanism of this invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. In this instance it has been shown mounted on the bed 11 of a truck, the cab of which is indicated at 12. It should be understood, however, that the mounting of the unit on a truck is shown for purposes of description only since one advantage of the invention is that the drilling mechanism may be mounted on any one of a number of ground support structures including, in addition to a truck, tracks or a turntable.

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The drilling mechanism includes a modular ring gear unit, indicated generally at 13, and a main frame assembly, indicated generally at 14, which carries the power source for powering a conventional kelly and bucket arrangement.

Main frame assembly 14 includes a base 16 and a pair of uprights 17, 18. Uprights 17, 18 each include an upstanding portion 19 which upstanding portions form a pivot base for derrick 20. The derrick, which may be of any desired design within the scope of the invention, is pivoted to the upstanding portions 19 on the uprights about pivot axis 21.

Each upright 17, 18 includes a flange, 23, 24 respectively, along its upper edge, the flanges forming a support base for a pair of hydraulic hoists 25, 26. The smaller hoist 25 controls the free line, and the larger hoist 26 controls the kelly line. Preferably the hoists are controlled from an adjacent operators platform each hoist having a single valve. The valve controls the hoisting and braking and the hoist has the added safety feature of self-centering so that in the event of operator death or injury any load on the hoist is automatically stopped. The hoists are planetary in design and are driven with a hydraulic motor internally and the valving is so arranged as to hoist, brake, or power down. Furthermore, the hoist has a built-in safety feature such that in event of hose failure the brake automatically applies, holding the load. Although the details of the hoists do not of themselves form a part of the invention, their application to the illustrateduse is unique. For further amplification of the functioning and characteristics of the hoist, reference is made to Gearmatic Co., Ltd., Catalog 10M 567, 1967, and specifically Models 11 and 22 described therein. In view of the fact that the construction, functioning and characteristics of the hoists are clearly set forth in the above reference, and other references in the literature, further description of the detailed operating characteristics of the hoists will not hereafter be referred to in detail.

The derrick is raised and lowered by a pair of double acting hydraulic rams indicated at 27 and 28. The upper end of each ram is pivotally connected, as at 29, to the derrick, and the lower end is pivotally connected to a ram mount indicated at 30 and 31, the derrick ram mounts in turn being welded to or otherwise integrally formed with base 16. Since the rams are double acting, the operator has full control of the derrick so that the derrick can be extended beyond the drilling position for craning operations.

The power source for powering the kelly and bucket assembly includes an engine 33 which is carried by engine frame 34 on base 16. A transmission is indicated at 35, and a drive shaft at 36. A tank cover is indicated at 37, and a hydraulic tank at 38, the use and function of which will be explained in detail hereinafter.

The forward or left end of the main frame assembly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, terminates in a pair of channel uprights 40, 41. Stiifeners are indicated at 42, 43. The uprights form, in conjunction with similar uprights 44, on the ring gear unit 13, structure for connecting any one of several sizes of ring gear units to the main frame assembly. Preferably the channel uprights 40, 41, 44 and 45 are connected to one another by a plurality of bolts or other attachable and removable fasteners.

Ring gear unit 13 includes a ring gear assembly indicated generally at and a ring gear carrier box indicated generally at 51.

Ring gear carrier box 51 is formed roughly in a teardrop shape as indicated best in FIGS. 2 and 3 and includes a skirt 52 to which are attached a plurality of generally annular plates 53, 54. Plate 53 is secured to the interior of skirt 51 by welding, and is reinforced by a plurality of stiifeners 55. Plate 54 is secured to the upper edge of skirt 51 by bolts 56 which anchor into a bolt ring member 57 secured to the upper, internal periphery of skirt 51.

.Stitfeners are again indicated at 58.

Ring gear assembly includes an inner drive sleeve 60 to which is secured, about its upper external edge, a flange 61. An annular spacer is indicated at 62 and a ring gear at 63, the ring gear being secured to the spacer and drive sleeve by a plurality of bolts 64. The ring gear, which has ball grooves at top and bottom, is supported on ball bearings which run in races 65, 66, the races being carried by annular plates 53, 54 respectively. Lower race 65 includes a pair of neoprene, or rubber-like seals formed near its inner edge. When assembled, the ring gear carrier box 51 and the ring gear assembly therefor form a lubricant chamber within which the ring gear 63 turns.

Ring gear 63, and thereby the ring gear assembly 50, is driven by a drive pinion assembly 68 which includes a pinion 69 mounted on pinion shaft 70 which is journaled in bearing 71, 72. A gear reducer is indicated at 73, said reducer having an input power connection 74 which may be attached to drive shaft 36.

The ring gear unit uprights 44, 45 are carried by a framework which includes stiffeners 75, 76 and braces 77, 78. As best seen in FIG. 2, the left or forward ends of braces 77, 78 are cupped about the exterior of skirt 52 to ensure rigidity of the ring gear unit with respect to the main frame assembly.

Although a mechanical drive consisting of a planetary gear automatic transmission with a converter, such as an Allison Torqmatic transmission, has been illustrated for transmitting power from engine 33 to gear reducer 73, it will be appreciated that the engine could be adapted to drive a hydraulic pump which in turn drives a hydraulic piston motor connected directly into the final gear drive around the kelly yoke and drive sleeve. Whichever form of power transmission is selected will depend to a certain extent on job conditions and other requirements. One advantage of the invention is that whichever form of power transmission is most suitable may be easily employed.

For purposes of completeness, a conventional yoke 80 is illustrated in the working position formed by the space between limit blocks 81, 82 and the ends of slideways 83, 84. Since the yoke and kelly are conventional, they are not further illustrated in detail.

Use and operation The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The drilling mechanism may be mounted on any suitable supporting structure, such as a truck bed, tracks or a turntable. Whatever supporting structure is selected will, of course, depend upon working conditions and requirements.

By virtue of the invention, the size of the ring gear assembly may be quickly and easily matched to the size of the job while the same basic main frame assembly and power mechanism are employed. Thus, once the job requirements are determined, a ring gear unit is selected of a size sufiicient to do the job, and the unit is attached to the main frame assembly 14 by bolts or other fasteners which secure the ring gear unit 13 to the channel uprights 40, 41. It will be understood that the ring gear units are so designed that each has a pair of mating channel uprights 44, 45 so positioned as to butt against channel uprights 40, 41 carried by the main frame assembly. By merely inserting, or removing, as the case may be, a plurality of bolts for example, a ring gear unit of the desired size may be attached to a single basic main frame assembly. Since the distance between the transmission or other power take off point on the main frame assembly and the center of reducer pinion 69 is constant, only a fixed length drive shaft is needed irrespective of the size of the ring gear unit.

Alternately, the gear reducer 73 of the ring drive unit 13 may be hydraulically powered in which event connection and disconnection of the ring gear unit from the main frame assembly merely involves making several hose connections.

The ability to match the ring gear unit to the job while employing a single main frame assembly and power source is a considerable advantage since the user is not required to purchase several complete rigs for different sized jobs as has been the practice heretofore. This modular feature, in addition to lowering the cost of the equipment, and consequently the work performed, ensures higher utilization of the equipment since the same main frame assembly may be used in uninterrupted succession on a number of different sized jobs which formerly required different sized rigs.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should only be limited by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims when interpreted in light of the pertinent prior art.

I claim:

1. In a drilling mechanism,

a main frame assembly,

a power source associated with the main frame assembly connected to a drive gear assembly,

a derrick assembly operatively related to said main frame assembly,

hydraulic hoist means operatively related to said main frame assembly for hoisting and braking a kelly and bucket assembly, and

said main frame assembly further including a structure operatively related thereto for connecting any one of several sizes of a modular ring gear unit to said main frame assembly.

2. The drilling mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that said modular ring gear unit includes, in combination,

a ring gear carrier box assembly,

a ring gear assembly rotatable with respect to the carrier box assembly,

a drive gear assembly associated with the carrier box assembly, and in driving engagement with the ring gear assembly.

3. The drilling mechanism of claim 2 further characterized in that firstly, the ring gear assembly includes a ring gear adapted to be drivingly connected to a yoke or other bucket turning structure, and

secondly, in that the drive gear assembly includes drive pinion means drivingly connected to the ring gear,

said drive pinion means being carried by, and axially fixed with respect to, the ring gear carrier box assembly.

4. The drilling mechanism of claim 3 further characterized in that thirdly, the ring gear assembly and the ring gear carrier box assembly form a lubricant chamber therebetween, and

fourthly, in that the drive pinion means is disposed within said lubricant chamber.

5. The drilling mechanism of claim 3 further characterized in that the drive gear assembly includes a gear reduction unit connected to the drive pinion means,

said gear reduction unit being carried by said carrier box assembly.

6. The drilling mechanism of claim 5 further including:

mechanical drive means for powering the drive pinion means,

said mechanical drive means being connected to the drive pinion means.

7. The drilling mechanism of claim 5 further includhydraulic drive means for powering the drive pinion means, said hydraulic drive means being connected to the drive pinion means. 8. The drilling mechanism of claim 1 further characterized in that,

the hydraulic hoist means includes means to power said kelly and bucket assembly in and out of the hole without brakes, said hoist means being self-centering whereby the hoist drums are automatically braked upon hose failure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith 175195 Arthur 175-195 X Spiri 175195 X Downend 173151 X Witwer 173151 X Lacy 175195 X Long 175-195 X Johansen 175195 X Ellis 175-195 Darin 175195 X NILE C. BYERS, 111., Primary Examiner 

